Telephone-exchange system.



No. 798,838. PATENTED SEPT. 5, 1905.

E. H. STRAUSS.

TELEPHONE EXCHANGE SYSTEM.

APPLIOATION rum) AUG. a9, 1903.

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No. '798;838. PATBNTED SEPT. 5, 1905.

' B. H. STRAUSS.

TELEPHONE EXCHANGE SYSTEM.

AIPLIOATION FILED AUG.29, 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PATENTED SEPT. 6, 1905.

E H STRAUSS TELEPHONE EXCHANGE SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.29,1903.

3 SHEETSSHEBT 3.

ERNEST HUGO STRAUSS,

OF CH ICA( 1 O, ILLINOIS.

TELEPHONE-EXCHANGE SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 5, 1905.

Application filed August 29, 1903. Serial N0 171,232.

To (I /l whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, ERNEST Hnco STRAUSS, a citizen of the Republic of Switzerland, residing at Chicago, in the county of (look and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Telephone-Exchange Systems; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to certain improvements in telephone-exchange systems.

It has for its object, principally, to provide for effecting intercommunication between subscribers or substations, either between those in the same line or those in different lines; to permit the removal of any one, or more, or all, of the annunciators or signal-bells without disturbance to any other part of the apparatus on the switchboardas, for instance, at the central office; to enable central office to connect up any two subscribers or substations indirectly as relates to the line-wires and listen to any conversation therebetween; to guard against the destruction of the telephone by lightning flashes or heavy electric currents by having the central-office telephone set unconnected from the line-wires; to permit of the ringing of the call-bell or annunciator whether the receiver be on or ofl its suspending-hook; to provide electromagnets of high resistance adapted to be bridged to the line-wires continuously, giving the subscribers the opportunity to ring or call one another at any time; to permit of the inclusion of an indefinite number of subscribers in any one circuit, and to greatly simplify the operation of connecting subscribers or substations at central oflice.

To these ends said invention consists of certain features involving novel combinations and arrangements of parts, substantially as more fully disclosed hereinafter and specifically pointed out by the claims concluding the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the preferred embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the central office switchboard mechanism or apparatus and a plurality of subscribers stations. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the switchboard and series of annunciators or bells. Fig. 3 is a vertical section thereof. Fig. 4: is a transverse section thereof, and Fig. 5 is an additional vertical section, and Fig. 6 is a crosssection, each taken through the switchboard, one at right angles to the other; and Fig. '7 is a view of one of the annunciators or bells removed from the switchboard.

Latitude, it will be understood, is allowed herein as to details, as they may be changed as circumstances suggest without departing from the spirit of my invention and said invention yet remain intact and be protected.

In the carrying out of my invention I provide at central office a switch or toll board 1, free of all such appliances or paraphernalia as weights, cords, and the like as attach to some devices for effecting purposes in common herewith. Said switchboard has suitably secured thereto upon its upper front surface a closure or housing 2 for the bell or annunciator adjunctive parts comprising certain features presently fully disclosed. Said closure or housing 2 is built outward from the switchboard and comprises a series of separate transverse pieces 2, constituting its front surface, said latter pieces being arranged or laid close together upon outstanding lateral portions, to which they are secured, preferably, by screws 2" or other means adapted to permit their ready removal. Upon each transverse piece 2 are arranged duplicate gongbells or annunciators 3, being centrally secured upon suitable supports or brackets 23* preferably of approximately inverted-V shape with the inner end terminals of their divergent or leg portions extending laterally, as at 3, said lateral portions being secured or connected to said transverse pieces. The connection between one leg lateral portion is effected in the usual manner by preferably a screw passing therethrough entering the transverse piece. The other leg lateral portion connection,however, is effected, preferably, by means of a screw 3 passing through an elongated slot 3", produced on slightly-curved lines in a transverse terminal elongation 3" of said lateral portion. This construction or arrangement provides for the movement or adjustment of the gongs or bells with relation to theirclappers or hammers next described as may be desired for a purpose obvious. The clappers or hammers 4; consist each of a rod i, suitably terminating at one end in a sphere or enlargement, as usual, juxtaposed to and between each two or duplicate bells or gongs, said rod passing through an enlarged opening I" in the transverse piece, bearing said gongs or bells, to allow it the requisite movement for engagement with the last-named as it is actuated as presently dis- IIO closed. Duplicate electromagnets 5 have their central rodportions or cores 5 suitably connected beyond their helices at one end of each to the stepped offset portion of a stirrip-like bracket 5 whose lateral end portions are suitably secured. to theinner surface of said transverse piece. To the brackets 5" is secured a yoke 6, connecting the corresponding ends of the electromagnets. A bracket 7, having one of its two arms suitably screwed or secured to and transversely of the offset or stepped portion of the bracket 6, extends laterally to the electromagnets 5, its opposite or other arm being removed or standing a short distance away from the said electromagnets in a plane intermediate of the latter. The armature 8, suitably arranged with relation to the poles of the electromagnets, is poised about centrally between conical or tapered pivots or centers 8, which may be end pointed or tapered screws screwed into the bracket 7 and a right-angled extension 9 of the said bracket 7, said pivots 0r centers having their tapered ends engaging corresponding seats or cavities formed in said bracket and extension. The bell or gong hammer 1, laterally let into a correspondinglyslotted aperture in the bracket 7, has one end secured to the armature 8 about in the transverse center thereof, but laterally of the longitudinal center of said armature, to permit the proper disposition of said hammer to the electromagnets and its actuation by the action of said armature.

The electromagnets for actuating the armatures of the duplicate bells or annunciators are connected to the line-wires 1O 10 10 10 10 10 by the branch wires 11 11 11 11 11 11 and with the ground 12 by the wires 12 12 12 12 12 12 13. Said line-wires are each connected to a substation or subscriber, as 1 1, having the usual telephone outfit or equipment, such as a receiver 14:, a transmitter 14, and a switch or hook 1 1 wired, as at 1r, to a battery 1 1 and a generator 15, said telephone equipment including the usual call-bell 16, included in the telephone-circuit, all being of course connected to the line-wire. Central-oifiee telephone set 17 is also provided with the usual telephone equipment the same as a subscriber, including a receiver 17, a transmitter 17*, and a switch or hook 17 ,wired as at 17 to a battery 17 and a generator 17 also the usual call-bell 17*, included in the telephone-circuit, as shown. The transmitter Y 17, the receiver 17, and the switch or hook 17 for suspending said receiver are wired, as at 17 to air-induction coil 17 of high resistance.

The switchboard 1, as above noted, located at central oifice, in addition to being provided with the series of duplicate bells or annunciators 3, has also arranged thereon two series of metal bars or strips 18 18 18' 18 18 18 and 19 19 19"19 19 19, respectively, one series crossing the other at right angles, as

I erture connecting the circuits.

seen. The series of bars 18, &;C., are c0nnected to the line-wires 10, &c., and have metal connections with the series of bars 19, &c., at 20 20 20" 20 211 20, respectively, being intersecting points of contact between said two series of bars, said metal connections being arranged in a line diagonally traversing said bars, as shown. Also plug-receiving holes or sockets 21, 860., are provided in all of the two series of cross-bars 18, &c., 19, &c., at their intersecting points except at their metal connections 20, &c., the purpose of which will be more fully apparent presently. Also arranged transversely of and upon the series of line-wire bars 18, &3C. is what is termed a home cross-bar 22, and to the last-named is connected a wire 23, connected up with the central-office telephone set. A wire 24, also connected up with said telephone set and arranged in the same circuit with the wire 22, is grounded as at 12 This wire 2 1 is connected at 24: with the series of wires 12 12 &c. Said cross-bar 22 has also a series of plug-receiving openings 22 therein, registering with corresponding openings in the series of line-wire bars 18 &c., but has no metal connection therewith, as is efiected between the two series of crossing bars. Therefore, the central-ofiice telephone set is normally unconnected from the line-wires, thereby preventing the liability of the destruction of said telephone set, as would otherwise result from lightning-flashes or heavy electrical currents, as is apparent. Also it is remarked that with each of the several series of duplicate bells or annunciators arranged upon a separable or removable base the removal or displacement of any one of said annunciators in event of its impairment is provided for to remedy the defect without disturbing or disarranging the others of the series. Also it is noted that the central-ofiiee operator can readily listen to any conversation engaged in over the line-wires in circuit by placing a plug in the required hole in the home cross-bar and using his telephone.

In operation a call comes from one of the substations (say station 14) into central office and is announced by the ringing of the cor- I responding annunciator 3, which is connected to bar 18 Central operator then inserts a plug into one of the apertures 22 in the bar 22, registering with one of the apertures 21 in the bar 18 connecting the talking-circuits. Substation 14 requests to be put in communication with anothersubstation. Gentralthereupon follows the bar 18 until he reaches where it is permanently connected to a corresponding cross-bar19" and then passes either to the right or left until the bar which represents the station wanted is reached, wherein at that junction he inserts a plug into the ap- It is optional with central whether he remains upon the connected lines or not,'for when the lines are through they can ring otl to notify central. l nected to the respective bar in the other se- From the foregoing it will be readily appreciated as to the manner of connecting up any other two of the subscribers or local stations on the different line-wires or one of the same just noted with any other one of the rest of said local stations or subscribers.

Having thus described my invention, what .1 claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patout, is

1. A telephone system comprising a central station and substations, the central station provided with a telephone set, a series of separately connected and mounted annunciators, and a switchboard consisting of two series of bars crossed, each bar of one series being electrically and permanently connected to the respective bar of the other series, each bar of one series being electrically connected with an annunciator, and both series of bars being provided at their intersections, other than where permanentlyconnected, with plugreceiving apertures.

2. A telephone system having a central station provided with a telephone set, a series of annunciators, and a switchboard consisting of two series of bars crossed, each bar of one series being electrically and permanently conries, each bar of one series being electrically connected with an annnnciator, both series of bars being provided with plug-receiving apertures at their intersections, other than where permanently connected, and an additional bar across one series of bars provided with plug receiving apertures corresponding to similar apertures in one series of bars.

3. A telephone system comprising a central station and substations, the central station provided with a telephone set, a series of separately connected and mounted annunciators, and a switchboard consisting of two series of conductors crossed, each conductor of one series being electrically and permanently connected to the corresponding conductor of the other series, each conductor of one series being electrically connected to an annunciator, and means for electrically connecting any conductor of one series with any conductor of the other series.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ERNEST HUGO STRAUSS. l/Vitnesses:

ROBERT A. BURTON, Manon BURTON. 

